[Saint John] Uptown Thread

[OUIR@random]

1. SJ has the best restaurant food scene in the province! Freddy and Moncton's selection is all very chainy and bland.
2. SJ's downtown is very urban and has character, errrrr I mean uptown!

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by Woho

Thandi's, Britt's, Lemongrass, Grannan's, Vegolution, Billy's, Steamer's, Italian by Night, Pomodori's, Gahan House, Decimal 81, York Bistro, Cask & Kettle, Suwanna, Churchill's, East Coast Bistro, Port City Royal, Mimimi, Royal King, Katsubi, Ta-Ke, Vito's, Mix Resto Bar, Ale House, Beer Bread, Barred Rock/Toro Taco, Asia's Best Cuisine, Splash, Taste of Egypt, Casa Latina, Let's Hummus, Mashawi Zein, Kim's Korean Food, Marci's Salads, Lily's.

I left out a lot and didn't bother including some I wouldn't consider part of Saint John, such as Mexi's, Kim's Fry Time, Boaz and Sushi Blossom, all of which are in Quispamsis.

In fairness aren't many of those places you list quite casual/in and out for a quick bite or even takeout/lunchcounter type places....or pubs? I was thinking of more traditional, "going out for dinner" multi course type places with a good wine list.

Also, hasn't Decimal 81 been closed for several years? I agree the food there was very good originally although the last time I ate there (pre pandemic) the kitchen was obviously struggling. There were huge gaps between courses. We waited 30 minutes after ordering for the starters and then another 45 for the main course. When the entrees did finally arrive they came sporadically one at a time over 10-15 minutes.....really ruined the evening. ( we were only a table of 4 and the place was no more than 75% full)


Italian by Night can be good but you can't always count on it. I've had very good food and service there but also several times that were not so great.....you never know. Consistency is a hallmark of a professional kitchen and they seem to struggle with that. Also, they sometimes book the reservations a bit too closely or don't properly pace the meal and I was actually rushed out one night before our party had all finished coffee and dessert (server was hovering with the cheque and they obviously needed the table).

I agree that EBC can be very good.

[OliverD]

Originally Posted by sailor734

Not trashing it at all.....just commenting that it's opening is of little interest to me because I don't care for Mexican food. It had been rumoured that a diner or family style place might be going here and so this news was a bit disappointing.

It seems like almost every town and small city has an iconic old fashioned diner or unique family restaurant serving quality, homestyle comfort food. They've often been there for years and in many cases are being run by a second or even third generation. .....Think the type of places featured on the Food Network's "Diners, Drive ins and Dives" with Guy Fieri or the Canadian version that was called something like "You Gotta Eat Here"

Places like this are what I'm trying to describe...https://mainediner.com/full-menu/

I'm not confident that any place that has a 12 page menu does anything particularly well.

Like you said, I think those kind of places are often local institutions but their clientele is probably dying off and it's likely tough to start new ones because they don't come with the nostalgia that attracts people to those kind of places to. begin with. It's generally not the type of food younger people are looking for IMO.

Here in Fredericton I do enjoy going to The Cabin to grab a greasy diner burger on the occasional Saturday or Sunday afternoon, but it's not the kind of places I'm meeting up with friends for dinner.

[OliverD]

Originally Posted by sailor734

In fairness aren't many of those places you list either quick in and out for a bite, takeout/lunchcounter type places....or pubs? I was thinking of more traditional, dining out type places.

Also, hasn't Decimal 81 been closed for several years? I agree the food there was very good originally although the last time I ate there (pre pandemic) the kitchen was obviously struggling. There were huge gaps between courses. We waited 30 minutes after ordering for the starters and then another 45 for the main course. When the entrees did finally arrive they came sporadically one at a time over 15 minutes.....really ruined the evening. ( we were only a table of 4 and the place was no more than 75% full)


Italian by Night can be good but you can't count on it. I've had very good food and service there but also several times that were not so great.....you never know. Consistency is a hallmark of a professional kitchen and they seem to struggle with that. Also, they sometimes book the reservations a bit too closely and I was actually rushed out one night before our party had all finished coffee and desserts.

I agree that EBC can be very good

Have you eaten at Port City Royal? I've only been there once for food (plus a couple other times for cocktails) but it was excellent. Haven't tried East Coast Bistro yet but have heard good things.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by OliverD

Have you eaten at Port City Royal? I've only been there once for food (plus a couple other times for cocktails) but it was excellent. Haven't tried East Coast Bistro yet but have heard good things.

Was invited to PCR several years ago (pre pandemic) with a party of 6 for someone's birthday (it was their favourite restaurant) and thought it was horrible.

They were trying to do some sort of "farmhouse" style and all it came across as was sort of crude and coarse. Several of us had lamb shanks that were tough, greasy and full of gristle ....(my wife is convinced to this day it was mutton or at best hogget ). The waiter was a bit snotty when none of the 4 who had the "lamb" finished it.....made it subtlety clear we weren't cultured or sophisticated enough for their food...or at best didn't understand it.

I've never gone back but looked at their menu just now online and the photos actually look quite good (like a completely different style of restaurant) Might have to give it another try.

If I could wave a magic wand and create three places here they would be a really good old school steakhouse, a good fine dining seafood restaurant with a strong French influence (like the Vancouver place Provence Marinaside I linked to above) and a "diner on steroids/family/casual style" place along the lines of The Maine Diner in Wells.

Sorry for going off topic....this probably belongs in the NB Culinary Experiences thread

[DyAm00394]

The city CAO gave an update at tonight’s council meeting that the new public spaces in front of Market Square and the Harbour Passage trail is planning to open to the public in June 2024. Signage will be up in July 2024. The new year-round restaurant patios are also opening in June.

The update on the private development, Fundy Quay, was just that pile driving is complete. And the developer had to make some concrete design modifications due to the final placement of the piles. Now they are looking forward to pouring the concrete foundation slab soon.

[Helladog]

WRT the restaurant scene, I miss the old Riviera which was next to the cinema on Charlotte that closed after the explosion, and the Top of the Town that was on the top floor of Keddys at the time. I was pretty young back then, but I remember these places had great food, and were very nice.

I agree, SJ needs a nicer, somewhat upscale restaurant. It's not the kind of place most people would eat at on a regular basis, but on a special occasion maybe. There are folks in the city with bigger pockets that would likely frequent such a place more regularly.

[DyAm00394]

Originally Posted by DyAm00394

The city CAO gave an update at tonight’s council meeting that the new public spaces in front of Market Square and the Harbour Passage trail is planning to open to the public in June 2024. Signage will be up in July 2024. The new year-round restaurant patios are also opening in June.

The update on the private development, Fundy Quay, was just that pile driving is complete. And the developer had to make some concrete design modifications due to the final placement of the piles. Now they are looking forward to pouring the concrete foundation slab soon.

Someone over on Retail Talk & Share NB group shared some drone shots of the progress with the redevelopment.

[sailor734]

It has a very cold/stark/industrial look to it in those shots.....maybe it's the varying shades of dull grey pavers? I was talking to somebody today who said it looked like a prison yard.

I get that you need the big, empty, hard surfaced area for organized concerts and gatherings but what about the other 95% of the time? I worry it's just going to look like a big, empty expanse. Hopefully it will look better/different when finished.

[JakeNB]

Man - this guy can’t be pleased by anything. First trashes the Mexican restaurant and now the Market Slip development. I think this will be spectacular when it’s done.

[sailor734]

I parked at the top of King the other day going to an appointment in the building on the corner of King and Germain. I noticed that the finish on a lot of the bricks inset into the sidewalk all the way down to the corner has failed. Many are broken/crumbling and the sidewalk was strewn with the chips flaking off of them (not a great look for King St)

Hopefully this is just winter damage and city will replace them promptly......although, it looks like a pretty extensive job.

[adamuptownsj]

Cool shots, but I doubt they'll have the site opened and mostly complete on time. That's a lot of unfinished area, plus up around where the old lighthouse sat.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by JakeNB

Man - this guy can’t be pleased by anything. First trashes the Mexican restaurant and now the Market Slip development. I think this will be spectacular when it’s done.

Lots of things please me. I'm just not a fan of Mexican food at all so was a little disappointed that a new restaurant turned out to be that genre.

As for the new Loyalist Plaza overhaul, sorry, but I do think it looks cold, sterile and a bit barren in those shots......(too big and empty) Hopefully that will change when they are done and it will in fact look spectacular....I hope so.

Someone told me the manufacturer's name for the pavers they chose is something like "Techno Industrio" ............. seems appropriate.

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by adamuptownsj

Cool shots, but I doubt they'll have the site opened and mostly complete on time. That's a lot of unfinished area, plus up around where the old lighthouse sat.

I wondered about that too. Seems like a lot of unfinished area. OTOH maybe the time consuming stuff is done and what is left will go fast? Someone told me they are laying over 800 pallets of paving stones.

[darkharbour]

Originally Posted by sailor734

I wondered about that too. Seems like a lot of unfinished area. OTOH maybe the time consuming stuff is done and what is left will go fast? Someone told me they are laying over 800 pallets of paving stones.

I think the stage and ice surface we by far the most time consuming parts, and they are now also beyond most of the below-high-tide parts of the tidal steps, so hopefully it moves a lot faster now that it is less infrastructure and more just landscaping (I think, could be wrong).

I like the look of the area a lot, there are a good amount of trees, shrubs and grass that will look a lot better after a couple of years of maturing, and really spectacular once the trees get 10-15 years of growth. It's also going to be a lot more durable I think than the red brick that has constant issues around here (as much as I love it).

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by darkharbour

I think the stage and ice surface we by far the most time consuming parts, and they are now also beyond most of the below-high-tide parts of the tidal steps, so hopefully it moves a lot faster now that it is less infrastructure and more just landscaping (I think, could be wrong).

I like the look of the area a lot, there are a good amount of trees, shrubs and grass that will look a lot better after a couple of years of maturing, and really spectacular once the trees get 10-15 years of growth. It's also going to be a lot more durable I think than the red brick that has constant issues around here (as much as I love it).

Agree on the red brick. I love the look but the north side of King from Germain up looks like hell this spring.A lot of the bricks fell apart and the whole sidewalk is covered with crumbled bits of bricks.The whole stretch looks pockmarked.

New plantings alway look pretty bad. It takes about 3-4 years for perennials to really start to takeoff. Maybe they will plant a bunch of annuals this year to help the looks of the area short term?

[cdnguys]

Originally Posted by sailor734

Lots of things please me. I'm just not a fan of Mexican food at all so was a little disappointed that a new restaurant turned out to be that genre.

As for the new Loyalist Plaza overhaul, sorry, but I do think it looks cold, sterile and a bit barren in those shots......(too big and empty) Hopefully that will change when they are done and it will in fact look spectacular....I hope so.

Someone told me the manufacturer's name for the pavers they chose is something like "Techno Industrio" ............. seems appropriate.

I think it will take on a different feel once the trees and foliage are in bloom. This contrast of gray against red brick is quite popular in European cities so I’m excited to see the final result. I think it’s the lack of people too that makes it look empty.

[DyAm00394]

A new article about the new public spaces at Market Slip.

"The city is targeting a June date for the opening of the new public space at Market Slip.

The $33 million revitalization project for the public space adjacent to Market Square and the Fundy Quay development, named Ihtoli-maqahamok – The Gathering Space in October, started in 2022 and was meant to wrap up by 2023. Brunswick News reported in December that it was being pushed to April or May.

At Saint John common council’s meeting Tuesday, CAO Brent McGovern said the city is now looking at a June date, and he told Brunswick News they are working to get patios open before the summer starts.

“It’s an important point, one we don’t take lightly. We know that businesses in the area, it hasn’t been easy for them, with COVID and with project construction that has gone on,” McGovern said. “We really appreciate their patience and we’re looking forward to the summer with excitement regarding the animation of the space and people getting to engage with it.”

The development is planned to accompany the Fundy Quay waterfront development, a mixed-use project by Fundy Harbour Group intended to have five buildings with 677 units of housing. McGovern told council the developer “continues to advance the development,” with piledriving complete and concrete design modification taking place. He said the developers are “looking forward” to pouring concrete for the new building on the southwest corner of the property.

“I think it’s on track and we’re looking for a definite positive result by the fall. I think people are going to be positively surprised by work in the area", Deputy Mayor John MacKenzie told Brunswick News.

The Gathering Space site is planned to feature a new stage, enclosed glass patios for Market Square businesses, tidal steps, a fountain and a skating oval, as well as extension of the Harbour Passage.

In his update Tuesday, McGovern told council work on the retaining wall for the tidal steps is nearly complete, and underground pipes for the fountain are complete, with landscaping as the next step. The stage building is “progressing well,” with siding and exterior finishing ongoing, he said. He said glazing is almost complete on the patios, with electrical and mechanical installation work now started. With respect to the Harbour Passage, he said that work is ongoing to install planters as well as wooden handrails.

He said the plan is to open patios in June, weather-permitting, as well as the plaza and Harbour Passage trail. He told Brunswick News there will still be ongoing work after things open in June, including signage and some stonework.

“A lot of that is tied to delivery as well as weather-co-operating,” McGovern said. “At this point in time, we are expecting a June time frame that there’ll be some activity around there and then in July we’ll have signage in place.”

https://tj.news/saint-john-south/gathering-place-at-market-slip-set-to-open-in-june-cao

[homebody]

Originally Posted by DyAm00394

A new article about the new public spaces at Market Slip.



https://tj.news/saint-john-south/gathering-place-at-market-slip-set-to-open-in-june-cao

He mentioned “positive result by fall”. What does that mean?

[sailor734]

Originally Posted by homebody

He mentioned “positive result by fall”. What does that mean?

Good question....and a slightly worrying. Sorry if that sounds negative but there have been so many false starts and delays over the past 20 years that I'm a bit cynical towards anything Fundy Quay related. I really hope that's all in the past and things will progress in a timely fashion.

Hopefully he means structure being erected by fall and not just foundations going in.

Does anybody else find the comment about reworking concrete design plans a little odd? I'm certainly no construction expert but I would have thought you designed the foundations , drove pilings as called for and then proceeded to pour concrete. I wonder if the pile driving revealed something unexpected?